What is First-footing and Can It Improve Your Year?
First-footing as a New Year custom is most common in Scotland and the north of England, but it does have regional, and international, variations.
British Folklore: The Traditional Jack-in-the-Green
The Jack-in-the-Green was (and indeed is) a traditional participant in May celebrations and May Day parades in the UK.
Harvest Folklore
Before the advent of agricultural machinery, harvest time was an important period of physical work and folk tradition and ritual amongst rural communities.
Yule Logs, Kissing-Bushes and Mistletoe: Christmas Greenery in Pre-Industrial England
Plants play a major part in the many customs surrounding the Christmas festivities. The Yule log for example, was essentially associated with Christmas Eve, for on the evening of that day it was traditional to transport the log to the fireplace, ignite it and allow it to burn for at least 12 hours if ill-luck was to be avoided.
From The Fool to the World: The History and Folklore of Tarot Cards
When you think of tarot cards, do you picture a fortune teller predicting your untimely end in a darkened room? Do you think they’re evil? Thankfully, as you’ll soon discover, the former is unlikely and the latter is simply wrong. Let’s investigate the history and folklore of this much-maligned form of divination.